Brechin City 0
Hamilton Accies 1
Neil 5
Report by NDP Kid on the Block
Accies got back on winning track with this hard fought for victory at Glebe Park and instead of losing a late goal, as has happened a few times in recent weeks, Accies scored an early goal, through Alex Neil, then held on for victory and only the 4th clean sheet of the season.
It was a bizarre pre-match with nobody on the pitch at all apart from both clubs' goalies! The rest of the pitch was completely empty but the mystery was solved when players of both teams began emerging back through a gap in the hedge - due to the soft pitch both teams had warmed up on the big grassy area over the hedge!
The game started with a fair breeze and a sparse crowd. Marvyn Wilson called the toss correctly and we were shooting towards the behind the goals stand in the first half.
And we lined up 3-5-2, although it was more 3-1-4-2 with Scott Mackenzie just in front of Robertson, Thomson and McLaughlin. Keogh returned up front and partnered McLeod. Jones was back too and he was joined on the bench by Carrots, McArthur and Ferguson, as well as Jellema.
The first decent attack saw McMullan cross in from the left and Scott Walker headed out for a corner under pressure from Marko. However, the early strength of the wind was seen when Neil's corner went straight out at the other side!
We went ahead in the 4th minute though when Paddy Keogh, running forward from centre field laid the ball off to the lively McMullan on the left side, he skipped round Kevin Byers, in what was to become one of the features of the first half, and his cross in was met by Alex Neil in the 6 yard box who knocked the ball high into the net. 1-0 Accies.
Brechin replied soon after with a Gerry Britton shot which took a deflection to Ally Mitchell who crossed in but Dave McEwan, seemingly ok after last week's scare, caught the ball from a ricochet. The home team threatened regularly, with the experience of Ritchie and Britton up front, and tempting crosses in from Callaghan and experienced balls through from Bollan, Walker and Byers. They were spreading the ball about well. Paddy Keogh had a long range drive which was held low to his left by Craig Nelson, then White was a touch sloppy with his pass back but neither McLeod nor Keogh reacted in time. McLeod tried to get on the scoresheet in the 21st minute when Gilhaney crossed in from the right flank and the young striker managed to get ahead of his marker but headed wide. City continued to threaten, Britton was proving a handful at times, Marko was ever alert at the back though and he had several good blocks, stops, tackles and clearances throughout the first half. Callaghan was cautioned for them following a 28th minute foul, McMullan continued to look lively with twists and turns, Mitchell set up Ritchie for a City chance, but Dave came out to block, then Byers had a good shot which flashed high past Dave's left hand post. McMullan got booked for us in the 38th minute following yet another tussle with Byers, who was unlucky not to be yellow carded himself for his part in the wee skirmish.
Britton and Winter had chances for Brechin but McLaughlin, as before, was on top of things. Half time came with their White being booked for a foul on Wilson on half way.
The second half began with McLeod racing onto a good ball, but Nelson just beat him to it then at the other end McEwan saved at the feet of Britton and denied Ritchie as Britton sought a penalty. We brought Graeme Jones on for Keogh ten minutes into the half, but Mitchell and Byers, on the flanks, continued to press for Brechin. Thomson and McEwan again combined to deny Britton a sniff. A tempting and teasing Gilhaney cross was punched over the bar by Nelson then Neil's corner found McLeod with a free header but it bounced and went straight to Nelson. Ferguson came on to replace McLeod in the 64th minute then Thomson was cautioned for a foul on Britton a minute later. Callaghan then had two crosses in, one setting up Britton who teed up Ritchie but his fierce shot was over, then Jones denied Britton with the next effort.
We were reduced to ten men when Paul McMullan was sent off for a second booking following a foul near the hedge touchline as Accies weathered Brechin pressure and possession. Jones had a half chance when he broke though but Nelson responded, then Jones, straight through down the left, took the ball to the corner flag, was fouled but the free kick came to nothing. Walker headed past from a Callaghan free kick for them, Jones was working hard and protecting the ball up front for ten man Accies. An Accies attack upfield with two minutes remaining saw Wilson and their sub Craig McEwan collide inadvertently off the ball, play continued and when the ball went out of play ref Scott MacDonald, who was pernickety thoughout, spotted the assistant's flag raised. There was some debate going on, but we had seen Wilson clearly involved with one of their players, although accidentally, but when the ref summoned a player it was Brechin's Gary Bollan who was shown a straight red card, presumably for mouthing at the assistant for not giving what he thought was a foul to them. Play restarted with a free kick to us on the corner edge of the box, but it came to nothing. Play petered out, Gilhaney was booked for timewasting in injury time, but we held on for a hard earned three points from a confident display with our defenders on top of their experienced attackers throughout.
Best for Accies were probably McLaughlin and McEwan; McMullan did well, Gilhaney worked hard, Thomson and Robertson were steady.
But McMullan will now miss next week's match through suspension.
Brechin: Nelson, White, Walker, Bollan, Callaghan, Winter (McEwan 82), Johnson (King 62), Byers (Smith 62), Mitchell, Ritchie, Britton. Subs Not Used: Ferguson, Hillcoat.
Sent Off: Bollan (89).
Booked: Johnson, White.
Hamilton: McEwan, Robertson, Thomson, McLaughlin, McMullan, Gilhaney, Neil, MacKenzie, McLeod (Ferguson 65), Wilson, Keogh (Jones 55). Subs Not Used: Carrigan, McArthur, Jellema.
Sent Off: McMullan (73).
Booked: McMullan, McLaughlin, Gilhaney.
Goals: Neil 5.
Att: 482
Ref: S MacDonald
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